Lisbon, May 6, 2026 (Lusa) - The Portuguese government intends to reduce the nation's dependency on fossil fuels by half over the next eight to ten years through a strategy centred on the electrification of the economy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, the environment and energy minister said on Wednesday.
Speaking in Lisbon at the Portuguese Association for Renewable Energies (APREN) presentation, she promised to present an ambitious strategy to parliament shortly, aimed at achieving a 50% reduction in fossil fuel dependency.
Regarding renewable energy production, she said that Portugal “is not lagging behind, remaining at the forefront” of the energy transition.
“We are an example, and we cannot miss this opportunity,” she said, highlighting the existence of natural resources in Portugal to continue the energy transition.
The minister also said that reducing energy dependence on fossil fuels requires the creation of areas for the accelerated deployment of renewable energy, with faster and more flexible licencing, incentives for self-consumption, mechanisms to support the connection of renewable natural gases (such as biomethane and hydrogen) to the grid, increased storage capacity, and investment in the production capacity of renewable gas and fuels.
The recent presentation of the map of renewable energy acceleration zones, coordinated by Maria do Rosário Partidário (from the Lisbon Instituto Superior Técnico), will contribute to “greater harmony between producers and the local communities where the projects will be located”, according to Graça Carvalho.
She also said that this map identifies the areas where it is most advantageous to develop renewable energy projects with the lowest risk to biodiversity.
The EY-Parthenon for APREN “Study on the impact of renewable energy in Portugal”, presented on Wednesday in Lisbon, shows that renewable energy generated cumulative savings of almost €42 billion in the electricity market between 2018 and 2025.
In 2024, this impact resulted in a reduction in annual electricity bills of up to €636 for households and over €63,000 for businesses.
In addition to the impact on consumers’ bills, APREN estimated that renewable energy contributed €5.34 billion to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2024, equivalent to over 1% of the national economy.
The association also forecasts that the contribution of renewables to GDP could grow by more than 370% by 2040, reaching €32.2 billion annually, if obstacles to the sector's development are overcome.
It adds that renewable energy production has reduced fossil fuel imports, generating average annual savings of around €2.4 billion in recent years.
CT/MYAL // AYLS
Lusa
